Texans Notes: CB Faggins playing well in return

TEXANS NOTES

By John McClain |
August 7, 2008

Cornerback Demarcus Faggins, an original Texan, has returned from a hamstring injury with three good practices. After struggling last season and getting bombarded with criticism by fans and media, Faggins is competing for a job on the team.

“He seems to be OK health-wise,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. “We’re going to have some tough calls (at cornerback), so those guys have to play a lot. It’s going to be a tough group to make, so they’ve got to step up and do it.”

Veteran Jamar Fletcher and rookie Antwaun Molden are reserve cornerbacks who have excelled in camp. Molden is nursing a nagging groin injury, but the coaches are hoping he can play Saturday against Denver.

“We held Molden out,” Kubiak said. “We want to do everything we can so he can play.”

Expensive cheerleader

Expect receiver Andre Johnson to be stuck on the sideline against the Broncos. Since suffering a groin injury last week, he has been running during practice.

The doctors don’t want to rush him back and take a chance on aggravating the injury.

“He’s better, but as of now, there’s a very slim chance that he’ll play,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “If we were playing a regular-season game, we’d be pushing him.”

Weary injured

Guard Fred Weary has been struggling since camp began. He was supposed to be 100 percent recovered from surgery to repair his tibia and fibula, an injury he suffered at Tennessee in early December.

“It’s a concern right now,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “We thought he was in position where we could work him into it slowly. Obviously, he had other setbacks because of the surgery. He has a hamstring issue right now.”

Linebackers praised

Middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans enters his third season as one of the best players in the NFL at his position.

“He’s the leader of our defense, and he’s one of the big leaders on our team,” coach Gary Kubiak said of Ryans. “He and Morlon have been mainstays, and I think for the first time, they sense some good help around them.

“We’re more athletic at that position. They’re bringing Zac along.”

Green special guest

Former Redskins cornerback Darrell Green, a Houston native who played at Jones High and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, will be on the Roberta and Riley Show on 610 AM on Saturday morning at 7.

Dan Riley, the Texans’ strength and rehabilitation coach, had the same position with the Redskins for almost all of Green’s career. He andRoberta Anding, the Texans’ dietician, will talk to Green about the role fitness and diet played in his 20-year career.

­— John McClain

Closeup: Dexter Wynn, Cornerback

Cornerback Dexter Wynn spent the past seven months working out in Houston.

The Texans hadn’t re-signed him after the season, and he didn’t sign with another team after making offseason visits to Atlanta and Cincinnati.

Wynn kept working, though, and on Monday he received a call from the Texans.

They could use him back in their secondary after Jimmy Williams was placed on injured reserve.

“It’s kind of been an uncertain seven months, but I figured I’d end up somewhere,” Wynn said. “It’s just a matter of staying in shape and being ready.”

With Williams going on IR, the Texans needed another player at cornerback.

The fourth-year pro not only is well-versed in the team’s defense but also brings kick-return experience.

Now, Wynn wants to take advantage of the second opportunity he has received.

“You can’t take this for granted whatsoever,” Wynn said. “Being back out here with all these same guys and coaches, it’s just a great group of guys. I’m glad to be back.”

Greg Eslinger, who’s listed as the third-team center, will play against his former team Saturday night when the Texans begin preseason play against Denver.

The Broncos used a sixth-round pick in 2006 to select Eslinger, who blocked for running backs Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney at the University of Minnesota, where he became the first Golden Gopher to be voted Big Ten offensive lineman of the year.

Eslinger, who was signed off the Broncos’ practice squad by Cleveland and later released, joined the Texans’ practice squad in December.

When assistant head coach Alex Gibbs was hired in the offseason, signing Eslinger made sense — he’s familiar with Gibbs’ system because Denver uses the same one.

— John McClain

Did You Know?

Wide receiver Andre Johnson was co-MVP of the 2002 Rose Bowl, when the University of Miami beat Nebraska 37-14 for the school’s fifth national title.